Type-writing machine.



W. J. NBIDIG.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 22, 1909 1,058,927. Patented Feb.18,1913.

04m rne upon his paper sheet fear FFIGE.

WILLIAM JONATHAN NEIDIG, OF MADISON, \VISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 CHICAGO TITLE AND TRUST COMPANY, .IKUSTEE, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

?atented Feb. 18,1913.

Original application filed April 20, 1908, Serial No. 428,212. Divided and thisapplication filed December To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lVILLInM JONATHAN Nnnnc, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Typeriting Machines, of which the following is a specification My invention consists in means designed first, to give the operator a signal whereby he may know that the bottom of the sheetis near; and second, to indicate to him the distance from any later current printing point to the bottom edge of the sheet being printed, or in other words, the remaining bottom margin, and this beginning as far up the sheet as may be found useful, and ending at the very end of the sheet.

Those skilled in the use of typewriting machines know that one of the greatest annoyances connected with the use of machines as at present constructed is that the operator is deprived of foreknowledge of the approach of the end of the sheet. This is more especially true in the case of the front-strike and top-strike machines, because in themthe platen usually'cannot be lifted, and the bottom edge of the sheet passes entirely out of sight behind the platen while a large portion of the sheet still remains unused. The operator either obliged to guess at hisbottom margin, or wait until the end of the sheet reappears-by which time there is usually very little bottom margin left. Certain classes of work demand liberal bottom marginslegal work, for instance, and thesis work, that has to be bound and trimmed. It has heretofore been the, custom of the more careful operators to mark each sheet separately with the desired margin, either in lead pencil or by driving a small hole through the sheets a dozen at a time. Of the various mechanisms hereto fore devised to give the operator a warning when time to remove his sheet, none is now in common use. My invention gives the operator such a warning in an improved and practicable manner. It does more than this. In addition to serving as a signal, it automatically measures for him line by line the decreasing amount of usused paper left irrespective of its i length. The advantage of such a measuring device is that the operator without pre- Serial No. 534,559.

liniinary care on his part is enabled to look ahead and tell whether he has room on his sheet for a group of matter like a table, or a chapter heading, that cannot be conveniently divided, and if'he has not-,- to remove the sheet and start a new one, even though the point at which he would ordinarily wish to remove the sheet be not reached. This function I believe had never before been performed, but is novel to my invention.

A form of mechanism whereby I attain these results is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end view of certain parts of a. typewriting machine having an embodiment of my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front view thereofipartly in vertical section on line C, G, of Fig. 1, but with the paper sheet and platen removed.

The invention shown, 'described and claimed-herein is a division of that of my application, Serial No. 428,212, filed April 20, 1908.

The principle of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the illustrated embodiment thereof. From the axle 'or pivot 9, which is supported at one end by the extension 15 of the carriage frame 12,"swings the paper-feeler 1, the free end of which in the presence of the paper-sheet 16 lies against the said sheet outside the circumferential slot 2 in. the platen 10. The ,normal position of the said paper-feeler is in the said slot. By normal position I mean the position the said paperfeeler has a tendency to assume: that is to say,'the position it assumes in the absence of the controlling paper-sheet. Through the said paper-feeler and intermediate con nections between the same and an arm 20 the sheet- 16 operates to control the position of the said arm, the latter bearing the pin 21 upon which freely turns the rotary memher 6. This rotary member isunbalanced, with its center of gravity eccentric to its axis, by means of a rim weight 25,-so that when free to turn around said axis it will come to rest always with the same point in its periphery uppermost; and it carries a conspicuously marked scale, in this instance comprising a consecutive series of numerals, although other markings or graduations may be added or employed instead. Fixed b nected by means oi the pin 27 with the the end of the platen 10 to revolve as a unit:-

with the platen. During the presence o'f'the paper sheet under the paper't eeler, the toothed wheel is held clear of engagement with the toothed peripl'iery ll by the lifting action of the paper-teelcr.

When the paper-feeding platen 10 is revolved in its advancing direction, the leading edge of the entering paper sheet encounters the paper-teeler 1, normally held in slot 2 by weight 28, that is to say having a normal position in the path of the sheet, and presses against it, rocking said paperteeler upon axle 9 until the said :t'eeler has entirely left slot 2, that is to say, is entirely clear of the paper-path. The sheet then passes between the paper-feeler and the platen, holding the teeler out of the slot until the bottom end of the sheet passes the" feeler, whereupon the feeler, no longer conterential slot 2 in the platen, permitting the arm 20 to more in the direction to engage the teeth of the Wheel 5 with the toothed periphery 11., and thereby the rotary member 6 is operatively connected with the platen to cause it to turn in unison with the latter. The said member now enters upon theduties which satisfy the aim of the in -veiition, attracts by its conspicuous movements the atiention of the operator, and by bringing the indices or numerals with which itis provided successively into indicating relations with a stationary index or pointer 11 or the like indicates to the operator line by line the distance remaining to the bottom of the sheet from the current printing point. As the rotary member controlling the signaling agent and scale always returns to aconstant starting position when the toothed wheel 5 is disengaged from the toothed periphery ii, and lies passive and stationary so long as the said toothed wheel and the toothed periphery are out of engagement with each other and until the end of the sheet. reaches a predetermined distance from the printing point, and then through reengagement of the said toothed wheel and toothed periphery is caused to begin movement in unison With the sheet and continues to move synchronously with the sheet, it is able to do this.

The paper-teeler l rocks upon the pivotaxle 9 and with it rcclt as a unit the horizontal weight 28, the arm 18, and the pin or stop 19 projecting from said arm. Upon the same axle also rocks loosely the rocking piece l-l. provided with the lug and con-- Yner end oi: the axle paper '1 out n the lower end ot the rod B l. the u the said rod bo h .rte" 21 carried circumferential slot 2 in the platen the projecting pin or stop 19 engages with the lug 26 and operates to swing the rocking-piece 14- about the mile 9, which operates through the rod 2% to move the arm 20 outward and thereby brealr the gear-connection between the rotary member 6 and the platen. Thereupon the rim weight 25 returns the rotary member 6 to its constant starting position. When the bottom end of the sheet passes the paper-feeler the rotary member 6 is thrown into connection with the platen, together with the signaling means, or scale, or both, that it. controls. Backing-up movement of thesheet after the bottom end of the latter has passed the feeler is provided for by mounting the paper-feeler so as to permit it to bend or hinge idly backward out of the way without doing any work. When the feeler is acted upon by the bottom edge of the sheet in a backing-up operation the feeler simply turns backward idly upon the axle 9 the pin or stop 19 separating from the lug 26 of the piece 14, Without disturb ing the position of the latter. As the movements of the paper-feeler effectthe position of the arm 20 to disengage the toothed connections Sand 11 only when the feeler is pressed forward by the advancing leading end of the sheet so as to cause the pin 19 to bear against the rocking-piece 14 and rock or swing the latter, and as the feeler is free to swing backwardly as Well as forwardly in the circumferential slot 2, the backing-up movement is taken care of Without embarrassment. The weight 28 upon the paper-feeder restores the feeler to av Working position in the circumferential slot.

The signal I prefer to employ is given as follows: Upon the peripheral surface of the rotary member 6, I place a conspicuous mark, or a series of conspicuous marks, or colors, or both, preferably black upon white. These are brought intoview, or into motion, when the rotary member 6 begins to move in unison with the platen. The marks need not have any symbolic content, but may be purely meaningless and arbitrary. Such a signaling means could be used alone, without the addition of a scale. Any of the orperfect form of signaling agent. for it. in-

volves no additional vorkiug parts, it is silent, it is adequate, and it repeats and continues its warnings. The invention is not necessarily restricted to an operative member 6 that is rotary for controlling the marked signaling surface.

means, and I so show it.

The scale I prefer to employ is an annular scale carried upon the periphery of the rotary member 6. As the said rotary memher 6 when free of engagement with the platen stands in a constant starting posi tion, to which it is returned by the action of the rim weight 25 upon it, and moreover remains in this constant starting position until again engaged with the platen, I mark my scale 0 at a point thereon which stands opposite the index or pointer a when the member 6 is in its constant starting position. I mark the next stopping point of the rotary member 6 to indicate theextent of the remaining portion of the sheet at that moment, whatever the length of such portion may be, and this will be the greatest margin or length the device is intended to indicate. From thence I mark the successive stopping points to indicate the decreasing distances line by line from the line on which printing is about to be or is being effected down to a single line. In my drawings I show the scale numbered to count by the ordinary doubled. spaced line, instead of by the single or solid I do this for two reasons, first, because this is the spacing ordinarily used by operators, and second, because the lettering or numbering can be made more conspicuous. The peripheral scale which I show I regard as the most lperfect form of scale, and the rotary memer 6 as furnishing the most perfect form of control; but any form of operative scale could be adapted to the purpose and the v controlling member need not be rotary.

It will be seen-at-once that a marked sig naling surface such as is first referred to can be made to serve also as such a scale, if the signaling marks be given the form, say, of numerals; for, although the marked and colored periphery that I propose to use as a signaling means neednot have any of the essegtial attributes of a scale, at the same time it can just as well have all the essential attributes of a scale without the slightest prejudice to its functions as a signaling By using conspicuous marks that are also scale symbols I am able to make my marked signaling surface do duty also as a scale; and thus I bring -my invention to its highest state of efficiency and simplicity.

It is to be understood that while in the illustrated embodiment of my invention I have employed a rim-weight for utilizing gravity to return my operative member to a constant starting position, and have mounted said member upon an independent axle, and have shown the connecting means between the said member and the platen as I consisting of toothed peripheries meshing together, I do not regard these as essential inall cases. Various modifications in the eonstraction and in the arrangement of parts are permissible within the scope of my invention and without involving a de parture from the spirit thereof. My invention requires only that an operative member controlling .a signaling means, or a suitably marked scale, or both, bebrought to a constant starting posit-ion, and then at a fixed moment in the progress of the bottom edge of the sheet be given a movement synchronous with that of the sheet.

The devices shown in the drawings and described herein are part of a series of closely related inventions or improvements which are presented in a number of copending applications for Letters Patent filed by me. The said devices have a number of general objects in common with those forming the subject-matter of different applications in the said series, and to a certain extent embody and utilize various principles and features which are common to devices shown and described in one or another of the said applications. Some of the said common principles and features are claimed broadly in my application filed April 20, 1908, aforesaid, and in my ap lications filed Dec. 15, 1909. Serial K10.

533,309, and Mar. 30, 1912, Serial No. 687,463.

The branch of the general invention that is covered hereby is distinguished by the characteristic features which are specified in the following claims.

Having thus clearly explained the nature and objects of my invention and the manner of constructing, applying and using it, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential slot therein, an operative member, indicating means called into operation through said member, and sheet-controlled means for coordinating the position of said member with that of the sheet, including means for giving the member a constant starting position, means for giving it simultaneous movement with the platen from such position, and a paper-feeler movable into the slot in the platen.

2. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential opening, an indicator, and sheet-controlled means for coordinatingthe position of said indicator with that of the sheet, including means for giving the indicator a constant starting position, means for giving it simultaneous movement with the platen from such position, and a paper-feeler movable into the opening in the platen.

3. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential slot therein, an index-carrier supplied'with indices, and sheet-controlled means for' coordinating the position of said index-carrier with that of the sheet, including means for giving the carrier a constant initial position, means for giving it simultaneous movement with the platen from such position, and a paper-feeler movable from sheet-controlled position into the slot in the platen.

4. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential slot therein, an operative member, indicating means called into operation through said member, means for giving said member a constant starting position, and sheet-controlled means for connecting said member with the platen,'including a paper-feeler movable into the slot in the platen and toothed gearing connectible under the control of said paper-feeler.

5. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen supplied with a circumferential opening, an index-carrier with indices thereon, means for giving said carrier a constant starting position, and sheet-controlled means for connecting said carrier to move with the platen, including a paperfeeler movable into the opening in the platen and toothed gearing connectible under the control of said paper-feeler.

6. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential slot therein, an operative member, indicating means called into operation through said member, and sheet-controlled means forcoordinating the position of said member with that of the sheet, including a Weight for returning said member into a-constant start ing position, toothed wheels one thereof attached to rotate with the platen and the other attached to rotate with the member, and a paper-feeler movable into the slot in the platen.

. 7. Ina typewriting machine, in combination, paper-feeding means, indicating means, and sheet-controlled means controllingthe actuation of the said indicating means, including a paper-feeler and an intermediate parthaving a common axis" therewith, one thereof operative upon the other when actuated in one direction but not when actuated in the other direction.

8. In a typewriting machine, in combination, paper-feeding means, indicating means, and sheet-controlled means controlling the actuation of the said indicating means, including a papenfeeler having a sheet-conltrolled position adjacent to the paper-path and movable therefrom upon the passing of the sheet into a normal position in the paper-path and, from which it is movable backwardly and a backing-up movement of the sheet after having been released by the sheet.

9. In a typewriting machine, in combination, paper-feeding means, indicating means, and sheet-controlled means controlling the actuation of the said indicating means, in cluding a paper-feeler having a normal position in the paper-path and movable in two directions from the said normal position out of the said path. a

10. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a paperfeeler having a normal position in the paper-path and movable in two directions therefrom, indicating means, and intermediate means giving the said teeler operative control of the said indicating means when actuated in one direction from its said normal position but permitting idle movement of the feeler in the other direction.

11. In a typewriting machine, in combi nation, a platen, a paper-feeler having a normal position in the path ofthe sheet and movable from said position in two directions, indicating means, and intermediate means between the said indicating means .and the feeler, including a stop rendering the feeler operative upon the said indicating means when actuated in one direction but not when actuated in the other.

' 12. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, apaper-feeler having a normal position in the path of the sheet and having an idle movement in one direction and a Working movement in the other,

means for automatically returning the. said.

feeler into said position after movement therefrom, and indicating means controlled by the movement in working direction of the said feeler.

13. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a paper-feeler having anormal position in the path of the sheet and movable from said position in two direc tions, a weight for returningthe said feeler into said position after movement therefrom, and indicating means cont-rolled by the movement in working direction of the said feeler.

14. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a slot therein, an operative member, signaling means called into operation through said member, a paper-feeler movable into the platen slot, means rendered effective through the said 'iaper-feeler under control of the sheet for' giving the said membera constant starting position, and means rendered effective by the passing of the sheet-end for giving the said member simultaneous movement with the platen from the said'st'arting position. I 15.-In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen; an operative member; indicating means called into operation through said member; a paper-feeler hav;

:ing a sheet-maintained position adjacent to the paper-path, and operative therefrom upon the passing of the sheet into a normal position in the paper-path, and operative in a late backing-up movement ofithe sheet baclrwardly from thesaid normal position out of the paper-path; means rendered at 'tcctive through the said paper-feeder under the control of the sheet for giving the said member a constant starting position; and means rendered effective by the passing of the sheet-end for giving the said member simultaneous nnvement with the platen from the said starting position.

16. in a typewriting machine,- in combination a platen, an operative member, indicating means called into operation through said member, an intermediate part having an axis and a paper-teeler having the same axis and operating the said part when moved in one direction but not when moved in the other, means rendered etiective by the said part, under control of the paperfeelcr, for giving the said member a constant starting position, and means rendered efiective by the passing of the sheet-end for giving the said member simultaneous movement with the platen from the said starting position.

17. In a tv ewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential opening therein, a revoluble member, indicating means called into operation through said member, and means cooperating with the slotted platen to coordinate the position of the revoluble member With the position of the sheet, including a sheet-controlled controlling part movable into the opening in the platen.

18. In a typewriting machine, in combinar tion, a platen having a circumferential opening therein, an operative member, a series of indices and a cooperating index, one thereof moving -in unison with the said member, and means for giving the operative member a constant starting position and thereafter coordinating its position With that of the sheet, such means including a sheet-controlled controlling part movable into the opening in the platen.

19. In a tvpewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential 4 opening therein, a carrier supplied with indices, means for giving the said carrier a constant starting position, and means-for giving the carrier movement coordinate with that of the sheet, including a paper-controlled controlling part having act-ion into the said opening in the platen.

20. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen having a circumferential slot therein, a revoluble member, signaling 5 means called into operation through said member, and sheet-controlled means cooperating With the slotted platen to coordinate the position ofthe revoluble member with the position of the sheet, including 6 means for giving the member a constant starting position, means for giving it movement with the sheet therefrom, and a papercontrolled controlling member Which Works in the said slot.

WILLIAM JONATHAN NEIDIG.

Witnesses:

HERBERT QUICK, JOHN R. CORAMOUS.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G. 

